Toy appliance cabinet



Aug 29, 1967 J. w. EBsTr-:IN 3,337,983

TOY APPLIANCE CABINET Filed Feb. 19, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 29, 1967 .1. w. EBsTl-:IN

TOY APPLIANCE CABINET Filed Feb. 19, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Aug. 29, 1967 Filed Feb. 19, 1965 J. W. -EBSTEIN TOY APPLIANCE: CABINET 6 Sheets-Sheet I5 Aug. 29, 1967 J. w. l-:BsTElN TOY APPLIANCE CABINET 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 19, 1965 INVENTOR. JdA//y w. ffE//l/ infine/w;

Alg- 29, 1967 1. W. EBSTEIN 3,337,983

TOY APPLANCE CABINET Filed Feb. 19, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet Iz- 5:25. /50 EE. 2 7.

Aug 29, 1967 J. w. EBSTEIN 3,337,983

TOY APPLIANCE CABINET Filed Feb. 19, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Il-Tr. 50- W United States Patent O 3,337,983 TOY APPLIANCE CABINET John W. Ebstein, Roslyn Heights, N.Y., assignor to Gabriel Industries Inc., New York, N. a corporation of New York Filed Feb. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 434,005 5 Claims. (Cl. 46-15) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A11 enclosed toy appliance cabinet comprised of substantially at panels on all sides and at shelves within; thecabinet being held together by interlocking tabs and channels, many of which channels are U-shaped.

This invention relates to toys and more particularly to toy kitchen appliances, many of the parts of which simulate actual appliances and which appliances, when assembled, give the appearance of genuine appliances, such as stove ranges, sink cabinets, refrigerators and cabinet combinations.

An object of the invention is to construct a realistic kitchen appliance having a minimum of differing parts commensurate with realism, while at the same time constructing the various parts in an economical and simple manner of sheet metal, wherein assembly is rapid and can be performed by unskilled labor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy appliance which is sturdy both in appearance and in actuality and which is so constructed that a child may readily clean all parts of it in imitation of a house cleaning chore.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toy appliance having both play utility and utility for toy storage.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the description to follow.

Briey, the invention comprises a toy appliance and cabinet constructed from a plurality of sheet metal components which are readily manufactured on standard equipment, such components being provided with a novel interlocking feature, so that the various panels, shelves, top and bottom elements, and the door, can be assembled with ease to effect a rigid and locked cabinet structure.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a plurality of sheet metal components having specially shaped interlocking edges which Will afford a strong structure.

A detailed description of the invention now follows in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective View showing the components of a toy appliance (here shown by way of example as a range) in spaced positional relationship to each other.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of a sheet metal blank from which the dash panel of the appliance is formed.

FIGURE 3 is an end View of the formed dash panel.

FIGURE 4 is an elevation of a corner of the dash panel.

FIGURE 5 is a plan of an end of the dash panel.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective of a component, of which two are used as the top and bottom panels for the cabinet structure of the invention, illustrating an interior view of such component.

FIGURE 7 is an end elevation of the top or bottom panel.

FIGURE 8 is a perspective of a side panel for the cabinet structure, of which two are used, illustrating an interior view.

FIGURE 8a shows a shelf support detail in elevation.

FIGURE 9 is a perspective of the corner of a side panel of FIGURE 8, enlarged, and showing the interlocking relationship of another panel therewith.

FIGURE 10 is an end view in plan of a corner of a side panel.

FIGURE 11 is a perspective of the rear panel of the structure, illustrating the interior side.

FIGURE 12 shows a corner end view of the rear panel.

FIGURE 13 is a side end View of one of the shelves, two of which are used.

FIGURE 14 is a corner View in plan of one of the shelves.

FIGURE 15 is a corner view in elevation of one of the shelves.

FIGURE 16 is a perspective of the interior side of one of the front panels, two of which are used.

FIGURE 17 is an end elevation of a front panel showing the relationship therewith of the top panel of the structure.

FIGURE 18 is a plan view of a corner of a front panel showing the relationship of a shelf supporting post fastened thereto.

FIGURE 19 is a perspective of the door for the cabinet structure, illustrating the rear side thereof.

FIGURE 2() is an elevation of one side of the door front, broken centrally to show the cross sections of the components at that portion.

FIGURE 20a is a cross-sectional view along lines 20a- 20a of FIGURE 20.

FIGURE 2l is a plan view of a handle which may be used for the door; and

FIGURE 22 is an end view of the handle.

FIGURE 23 is a detail in elevation showing the end view of a shelf support post and a shelf edge disposed for support thereby.

Referring now to FIGURE l, the invention shown in spaced perspective will be seen to comprise simulated elements such as splash panel 10, top and bottom panels 20, a back panel 30, side panels 40, upper and lower shelf panels 50, upper and lower front panels 60, and a hinged door 90.

The side panels are of identical construction and are interchangeable, and the shelves likewise are of identical construction and are interchangeable. Also, the top and bottom panels are identical and interchangeable and the upper and lower front panels are identical and interchangeable. By providing such identity of components and interchangeability it will be apparent that a minimum of tooling costs is required for production of the toy.

The mode of assembly of the various vertical panels is by means of interlocking joints such as J, K, L and M, as generally designated on FIGURE l, but which will be eX- plained in detail hereinbelow. Y

FIGURE 1 also shows U-shaped posts 100 bent of sheet metal which will be understood to be assembled internally of the cabinet structure, fastening to front flanges of the side panels for support of the front edges of the shelves, as later described. The door is provided with hinge pins which will be understood to enter holes respectively 108 formed in the edge structure of the side panels, and the door is further provided with side bracket pieces, such as 110, for maintaining the door in a predetermined open position.

Referring now to FIGURES 2, 3, 4 and 5, the details of the dash panel are shown and it will be seen from FIGURE 2 that this component is made from a single blank of sheet metal comprising a sloping front panel 10a and a sloping rear panel 10b, a top panel 10c, wing panels 10d, edge aps 10e and 10f at the sides and edge aps 10g and 10h at the lfront and rear, the latter flaps being provided with securing tabs such as 10k in spaced array. A box-like structure can thus be formed by bending the several panels and flaps on the dashed lines of FIGURE 2. The tabs are for securing the dash panel to the top panel 20 by passing the tabs through respective slots.

' 3 such as 20a, as shown in FIGURE 6 and for being bent on the inner side of the top panel in a well-known manner.

FIGURE 6 shows in perspective the top or bottom panel 20, two such panels being required for the overall assembly. This panel is made from a single blank (not shown) having a main panel 2012, the edges of which are folded marginally to overlay the perimeter of the main panel, so as to form marginal reenforeements 20c. Bent normally from the marginal reenforcements 20c at three side edges of the construction are flanges 20d. Such anges are for purposes of connection to the side panels 40 and have outwardly bent clips 20e stamped from the flange material. The rear edge of the panels 20 are provided with a bent flange 20)c which terminates in a further bent flange 20g, the edge of bent flange 20g being resil- `iently engageable with the respective inner ange 30j of the rear panel 30 when the `panelsr20 are assembled inV upper and lower positions.

The clips 20e are engageable with the upper edges of the anges 40a (FIGURE 8) at the upper and lower ,edges of the side panels for connection of the upper and Y lower panels to the side panels, and engageable in the same way with respective edges'115 and 120 (FIGURES l, 16, 17) of the front panels 60. If desired, one of the panels 20 can be provided with holes such as 20k (FIG- URE 6) for attachment'of foot pieces or casters. Such panel would, of course, be used as the bottom panel.

The construction of the side panels 40 is shown in FIGURES S and 9 wherein FIGURE 8 is a perspective illustrating the general relationship of the main panel 40b having respective side and top ilanges 40C and 40d bent normal thereto at each edge and vertical securing anges 40e bent normal from respective support flanges 40e` and parallel to and spaced from the main panel 40b. The horizontal flanges 40a are bent from the edges of respective top and bottom edge flanges so as to be parallel to and spaced from main panel-:24%. Each flange 40e is provided with a pair of spacedholes 108 (FIGURE 8), into which the door pins 105 (FIGURE l) for hinging the door protrude. The purpose of providing a pair of such holes 108 for each of the flanges 40e is to simplify assembly so that a side panel may be mounted without regard to which of the ends bearing flange 40a is the upper or lower end. The flanges 40d are corner-notched at 40g (FIGURES 1, 8, 9), so as to provide for entry Y of the side flanges 30a of the rear panel 30 and of the side flanges 60a (FIGURES 8 and 16) of the upper and lower front panels for interlocking coaction with the side panels, thus electing the interlocking construction at edges I, K, and L, M, as indicated iny FIGURE 1. It will be understood that the other corner edges ofthe cabinet structure are similarly interlocked. The interlocking relationshipY will be appreciated upon comparison of FIG- URES 8, 9, and 12, and particularly of FIGURES 8 and 9, wherein flanges 40e are shown as being gripped in the U-shaped locking channel structures effected by flanges 30a-30C, 60a-60b. The gaps 30a' (FIGURE l2) and 60a (FIGURE 17) permit telescopic sliding entry of the edges of anges 40eV into the locking channels, such gaps being between the edges of a flange of each channel and their respective main panel.

The notch 40g shown in FIGURE 9 is considerably exaggerated as compared with the more practical spacing illustrated in FIGURE 10. Thus, the upper end of flange 30a shown in phantom in FIGURE 9 as being located in the notch 40g would not have the loose spacing as depicted for purposes of illustration in FIGURE 9. A more realistic View of the upper end of channel 30a is shown in the end view of rear panel 30, FIGURE 12. Flange 30C which extends normally from respective margin reenforcing ange 30b will be seen to be provided with spaced notches 30d, also cut through respectiver anges 30a. The notches support (FIGURE 8a) the rear edges of the shelves 50 on the notch edges 30C formed in flanges 30e.

The top and bottom edges of the rear panel 30 are provided with anges'30e from which are bent respectiveY flanges 301c parallel to the main plane of the panel. The flanges 30f coact with the bottom panel 20 in that the angesrg (FIGURE 6) engage over the edge of respective flange 301 of FIGURE 11,*in the manner shown in FIGURE 8.

It will be noted that the back panel 30 has completeA symmetry of notching so that it may be assembled right side up or upside down (FIGURE 11).

The shelves 50 are of extremely simple construction as shown in FIGURES 13, 14, 15 and 23 in that the main panel 50a has perpendicular peripheral anges 50b with K tumed-in edge anges 50c. The Vconstruction will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the mode of securing the upper and lower shelves within the'cabinet structure is by means of inserting the rear edges adjacent their corners within the notches 30d of the back panel as hereinabove described. Accordingly, the 'upperV L shelf would be supported at its rear in the upper notches 30d, while the lower shelf would be supported in what is shown as the centrally located notches 30d of FIGURE l1. The lowermost notches 30d are then not used. Thus, the rear panel may be assembled in position either right side up or upside down. Y

The front edge at each side of the upper shelf 50 is supported in a notch :1 (FIGURE 23) formed by attachment of the notched channel shaped posts 100 (FIG- URE 1) to the side anges at the front of the side panels. Thus, leg 100b is slid inside ange 40e, at each side of the cabinet structure and is held in place by hinge pinsV passing through holes 100C into holes 108.

Y The front edge of each side of the lower shelf is supported in notches 60e cut in flanges 60a and 60b of the lower front panel, FIGURE 16. The shelves 50 are of a width to substantially extend from side panel to side panel transversely, and from front to rear panels in cabinet depth, taking into account the space required by the vertical flanges of such panels. Notches 60e are provided at both ends of flanges, 60a and 60b, so that the front panels can be placed without regard to their top or bottom.

The front panels 60 are maintained in place by interlocking with the flanges 40e (FIGURE 8 showslower front panel) at the front edges of the side panels 40 in a Y will be seen to comprise an outside panel 90a and an inside panel 90b. The panels have perpendicular edge anges of such dimension that the flanges 90C of the inside panel can be telescoped with tight fit inside the outside panel anges 90d Vto be securely held therein. TheV central area of the door is cut out through both panels to form a window 90e and a plastic or glass plate 90]c is inserted in this window, to Ibe gripped by internal marginal ange 90g of the outer panel and a doubled thickness margin 90h of the inner panel. Spacedly disposed about the periphery of the door are dimples 90k which serveV to locate the pane and prevent it from sliding.

The door is `secured by means Vof pivot pins 105 in holes 108 of flanges 40f (FIGURE 1) for pivotal action, as heretoforedescribed. Secured to the sides of the door are brackets 110 stamped of sheet metal and suitably fastened between the edge flanges ofthe inner and outer panels of the door. The brackets have bent ends 110a to a'but the edges of flanges 40e (FIGURES 1 and 8), to hold the door at any convenient predetermined open position. Slots 90m are provided to take tabs 120a of a handle (FIGURES 2.1 and 22) which may be formed of sheet metal and a latch member 9011 (FIGURE 19) may 'be provided to latch into a slot such as slot 125 in a horizontal flange of the adjacent front panel, FIGURE 16. Such slots are provided for the upper and lower flanges, so that the front panels may be mounted interchangeably top for bottom.

The mode of assembly of the cabinet construction for the toy appliance will be obvious from the description of the components hereinabove. Thus, the splash panel is formed and applied to the top panel 20 by means of the tabs 10k. The rear panel 30 is telescoped endwise with respect to the side panels 40, the latter being held parallel to each other as shown in FIGURE l, so that the locking channels grip respective flanges 40e of the side panels at each rear corner thereof. This is readily accomplished by virtue of the notches 40g, the U-shaped channels effected by flanges 36a and 39C effecting a tight grip on flanges 40e. A strong connection of these several panels at their corners is thus assured.

The front panels may then be slid into position with tight interlocking relationship of each U-shaped channel effected by flanges 60a and 6019 gripping respective flanges 40e at the respective front edges of the side panels. Posts 100 are then positioned with flanges ltlllb inside flanges 40e and holes 100C aligned with holes 108. The shelves may then be inserted, posts 100 being eld frictionally sufficient for initial support of the upper shelf.

The door 90 with handle attached may be fitted into position at this time with pins 105 in the holes 100C and 108, assuming the pins are of a spring bias type which can be pressed inwardly and then snap into the holes. Otherwise, the door may be initially placed in position by placing posts 100 in position on the side panels and inserting pins 105 in holes 100e and 108 when the side panels are brought into parallelism. The brackets 110 may be slightly sprung, so that the ears 110a are inside the front flanges of the side panels to engage thereagainst. Finally, the top and bottom panels are pressed into place, so that the clips 20e grip the .respective edges of flanges 40a and the angularly inclined flanges engage the edges of flanges 30f. The structure is now complete. The same principles of construction may be applied to any toy appliance including stoves, ranges, refrigerators, doll houses, chests, furniture, simulated toy buildings, sink cabinets and cabinets.

Although there has been described a preferred embodiment of this novel invention, many variations and modifications will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, this invention is to be limited, not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appending claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive privilege or property is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A toy enclosure comprising side panels, a rear panel and at least one front panel; said side panels having vertical edges formed with flanges separated from and parallel to respective side panels to form U-shaped channels therewith, said rear panel and said front panel having U- shaped channels disposed adjacent respective vertical edges thereof and comprising spaced flanges perpendicular to respective panels and having one flange of each of said channels with an edge spaced from respective panels to permit said channels to be telescoped over respective flanges of said side panels whereby said last mentioned flanges are gripped in respective channels to form a toy enclosure, ya top panel having flanges normal thereto and spaced from the edges thereof, clips extending from said top panel flanges, the upper horizontal edges of said side panels being formed with flanges parallel to respective side panels and having edges engageable by said clips to secure said top panel on the upper edges of said side panels.

2. A toy enclosure as set forth in claim 1, including another panel identical with said top panel, the lower edges of said side panels being identical with the upper edges thereof whereby said other panel may be applied as a bottom panel to the lower edges of said side panels.

3. A toy enclosure comprising side panels, a rear panel and at least one front panel; said side panels having verti- Vcal edges formed with flanges separated from and parallel to respective side panels to form U-shaped channels therewith, said rear panel and said front panel having U-shaped channels disposed adjacent respective vertical edges thereof and comprising spaced flanges perpendicular to respective panels and having one flange of each of said ychannels with an edge spaced from respective panels to permit said channels to be telescoped over respective flanges of said side panels whereby said last mentioned flanges are gripped in respective channels to form a toy enclosure, the U-shaped channels of said rear panel being provided with spaced notches having edges disposed interiorly of said top enclosure, shelf support posts comprising U-shaped channels having outer flanges disposed in the U-shaped channels of the front vertical edges of said side panels, and a shelf within said toy enclosure having a rear edge supported by interior edges of the notches and a front edge supported by said shelf support posts.

4. A toy enclosure as set forth in claim 3, including a door panel, said shelf support posts having apertures, said U-shaped channels at the front of said side panels having interior flanges provided With apertures aligned with the apertures of respective shelf support posts, and said door panel having a transversely extending pin at each side extending through the aligned apertures on respective sides of said door panel.

E. A toy enclosure comprising side panels, a rear panel and at least one front panel; said side panels having vertical edges formed With flanges separated from and parallel to respective side panels to form U-shaped channels therewith, said rear panel and said front panel having U-shaped channels disposed adjacent respective vertical edges thereof and comprising spaced flanges perpendicular to respective panels and having one flange of each of said channels with an edge spaced from respective panels to permit said channels to he telescoped over respective flanges of said side panels whereby said last mentioned flanges are gripped in respective channels to form a toy enclosure, a second front panel spaced from said one front panel and identical thereto and disposed in secured arrangement with the vertical edge flanges of said side panels, said side panels being identical and the U-shaped flanges of said front panels being provided with upper and lower notches, and the rear panel Ibeing provided with notches in the U- shaped channel thereof, whereby a shelf may be supported at its rear edge within the notches of said rear panel and at its front edge within the notches of the U- shaped channels of one of said front panels.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,236,405 2/1966 Reil 220-4 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,000,841 10/1951 France.

F. BARRY SHAY, Primary Examiner. iii-L" RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Examiner. 5 R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION Patent No. 3,337,983 August 29, 1967 John W. Ebstein It is certified that error appears :In the a'bove identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the heading to the printed specification, line 5, "New York" should read Delaware Signed and sealed this 17th day of March 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, IR.

Commissioner of Patents Edward M. Fletcher, J r.

Attesting Officer 

1. A TOY ENCLOSURE COMPRISING SIDE PANELS, A REAR PANEL AND AT LEAST ONE FRONT PANEL; SAID SIDE PANELS HAVING VERTICAL EDGES FORMED WITH FLANGES SEPARATED FROM AND PARALLEL TO RESPECTIVE SIDE PANELS TO FORM U-SHAPED CHANNELS THEREWITH, SAID REAR PANEL AND SAID FRONT PANEL HAVING USHAPED CHANNELS DISPOSED ADJACENT RESPECTIVE VERTICAL EDGES THEREOF AND COMPRISING SPACED FLANGES PERPENDICULAR TO RESPECTIVE PANELS AND HAVING ONE FLANGES PERPENDICULAR TO CHANNELS WITH AN EDGE SPACED FROM RESPECTIVE PANELS TO PERMIT SAID CHANNELS TO BE TELESCOPED OVER RESPECTIVE FLANGES OF SAID SIDE PANELS WHEREBY SAID LAST MENTIONED FLANGES ARE GRIPPED IN RESPECTIVE CHANNELS TO FORM A TOY ENCLOSURE, A TOP PANEL HAVING FLANGES NORMAL THERETO AND SPACED FROM THE EDGES THEREOF, CLIPS EXTENDING FROM SAID TOP PANEL FLANGES, THE UPPER HORIZONTAL EDGES OF SAID SIDE 